having struck William Coke her husband, and drawn him by the
feet, and compelled him to bear his gear aboard, the said William
cursed the said David, and that voyage he was taken by the
Dunkirkers. Also, at another time thereafter, he compelled him to
bear his gear aboard, and a captain's who was with him, and when
the captain would have paid him, the said David would not suffer
him; but he himself gave him what he liked. The said William
cursed the said David very vehemently; and at that time he
himself perished, his ship, and all his company, except two or
three. Also she declared, that when his own son sailed in David
Whyt's ship, and gave not his father his bonnallie,[11] the said
William said, What? Is he sailed, and given me nothing? The devil
be with him; if ever he come home again, he shall come home naked
and bare; and so it fell out. For John Whyt, who had that ship
freighted to Norway, and another wherein himself was, declared,
that they had very foul weather; and the ship wherein the said
young William Coke was, perished; and he saved all the men in the
ship wherein he was himself. And albeit the storm increased two
days before the perishing of the said ship, and six days after,
yet the two hours space in which they were saving the men, it was
so calm in that part of the sea, that they rowed from one ship to
the other with two oars, and the sea was all troublesome about
them. And the said William Coke the younger, was the first man
that came a shipboard.
[11] His farewell cup.
* * * * *
_Paction._--The same day, Alison Dick being demanded by Mr James
Simson, minister, when, and how, she fell in covenant with the
devil? She answered, her husband mony times urged her, and she
yielded only two or three years since. The manner was thus--He
gave her, soul and body, quick and quidder full to the devil, and
bade her do so. But she in her heart said, God guide me. And then
she said to him, I shall do any thing that ye bid me: and so she
gave herself to the devil in the foresaid words.--This she
confessed about four hours at even, freely, without compulsion,
before Mr James Simson, minister, William Tennent, baillie,
Robert French, town-clerk, Mr John Malcolme, schoolmaster,
William Craig, and me, the said Mr James Miller, writer hereof.
_October 15th._
16. The which day, compeared Christian Ronaldson, against Alison
Dick, who, in her presence being sworn, deponed, that she having
set an house to the said Alison, and when the gudman came home he
was angry, and said, he would not have the devil to dwell above
him in the closs; and he went and struck up the door, and put
forth the chimney that she put in it. And thereafter, Alison came
to the said Christian, and chopped upon her shoulder, and said to
her, Christie, your gudman is going to sail, and he has ane stock
among his hands, but ere long, his stock shall be as short as
mine. And so it fell out, for he was casten away in David Whyt's
ship, and saved nothing.
_October 22d._
17. Compeared Merjory Marshall, against Alison Dick, who being
sworn, deponed, that Alison having brought her gudman's cloaths
once from the Castle-haven,[12] she offered her 12d for her
labour, who would not have it; and she said to her, Alison, there
is not many of them. She answered, they shall be fewer the next
time; and the next voyage he was cast away in David Whyt's ship.
[12] Probably Ravenscraig Castle, at the east end of Pathhead.
ED.
18. Compeared also Kathrine Wilson, who being sworn, deponed,
that she and Janet Whyt being sliding together, Alison Dick came
to them, and asked silver from Janet Whyt, who would give her
none, but fled her company into the said Kathrine's house, and
she followed, and she gave her a piece bread, and Janet Whyt bade
her give her a plack also, and she should pay her again. And when
she got it, she said, Is this all that she gives me? If she had
given me a groat, it would have vantaged her a thousand punds.
This is your doing, evil tidings come upon you. And she went down
the closs, and pissed at their meal-cellar door; and after that,
they had never meal in that cellar, (they being meal makers.) And
thereafter they bought a horse at 40 lib., and the horse never
carried a load to them but two, but died in the _batts, louping
to death_, so that every body said that he was witched.
_October 29th._
19. Euphen Boswell being sworn, deponed, that her gudman being to
sail to the East country, loaden with salt, the said Alison Dick
having born some of the salt aboard, she came to her and craved
money from her, who gave her meat, but would give her no money,
saying to her, Alison, my gudman has paid you himself, and
therefore, I will give you nothing. She replied, Will ye give me
nothing? I hope in God it will be better sharp (cheaper) sold nor
it was bought: and so it fell out, for the ship sailed upon the
morn, and the day after that, she sank, salt and all, except the
men, who were saved by another ship that was near by them.
20. Thomas Mustard being sworn, deponed, that James Wilson going
once to sail, Alison Dick came to him, and desyred silver from
him, he would give her none; she abused him with language, and he
struck her; she said to him, that that hand should do him little
good that voyage; and within two days after, his hand swelled as
great as a pint-stoup, so that he could get little or nothing
done with it. The next time also when he was to sail, the said
Alison went betwixt him and the boat; and he said, Yon same witch
thief is going betwixt me and the boat, I must have blood of her;
and he went and struck her, and bled her, and she cursed him and
banned him; and that same voyage, he being in Caithness, standing
upon the shore cleithing a tow, and a boy with him, the sea came
and took him away, and he died; and the boy was well enough.
* * * * *
Desires Mr Robert Douglas[13] to go to the Archbishop with this
process, to get his approbation thereto, who takes upon him to do
the same.
[13] Who preached the famous coronation sermon of Charles II. at
Scone, January 1st 1651.
_Minute of November 19th._--5s. given for a load of coals to
Alison Dick;--14s. for her entertainment this week bygone, being
this day, with her husband William Coke, burnt for witchcraft.
_In the minute of 17th December, there is a particular account of the
Town and Session's extraordinary Debursements for William Coke and
Alison Dick, Witches._
_In primis._--To Mr James Miller, when
he went to Prestowne for
a man to try them, 47s. £2 7
_Item._--To the man of Culross,
(the executioner) when he
went away the first time,
12s. 0 12
_Item._--For coals for the witches,
24s. 1 4
_Item._--In purchasing the commission, 9 3
_Item._--For one to go to Finmouth
for the laird to sit upon
their assise as judge, 0 6
_Item._--For harden to be jumps to
them, 3 10
_Item._--For making of them, 0 8
-----
Summa for the kirk's part £17 1 Scots.
_The Town's part of Expenses Debursed extraordinarily upon
William Coke and Alison Dick._
_In primis._--For ten loads of coals to
burn them, 5 merks, £3 6 8
_Item._--For a tar barrel, 14s. 0 14 0
_Item._--For towes, 0 6 0
_Item._--To him that brought the
executioner, 2 18 0
_Item._--To the executioner for
his pains, 8 14 0
_Item._--For his expenses here, 0 16 4
_Item._--For one to go to Finmouth
for the laird, 0 6 0
-------
Summa town's part, £17 1 0 Scots.
Both, 34 11 0
_The following account is a voucher of a payment made by
Alexander Louddon, a factor on the estate of Burncastle, the
proprietor being then a minor and infant. It is entered in the
factor's books thus:_
* * * * *
Mair for Margarit Dunhome the time sche was in prison, and was
put to death, 065: 14: 4.
* * * * *
Count gifin out be Alexander Louddon in Lylstoun, in ye yeir of
God 1649 yeiris, for Margrit Dollmoune in Burncastell.
* * * * *
Item, in ye first, to Wm. Currie and Andrew Gray for the watching
of hir ye space of 30 days, inde ilk day, xxx sh inde
xlv lib Scotts
Item mair to Jon Kinked; for brodding of her[14]
[14] See his declaration, page 111.
vi lib Scotts
Mair for meat and drink and wyne to him and his man
iiij lib Scotts
Mair for cloth to hir
iij lib Scotts
Mair for twa tare treis
xl sh Scotts
Item mair for twa treis, and ye making of them to the warkmen
iij lib Scotts
Item to ye hangman in Hadingtoun, and fetchin of him, thrie
dollores for his pens, is
iiij lib xiiii sh
Item mair for meit and drink and wyne for his intertinge
iii lib Scotts
Item mair fer ane man and twa horss, for ye fetcheing of him, and
taking of him hame agane
xl sh Scotts
Mair to hir for meit and drink ilk ane day, iiij sh the space of
xxx dayes, is
vi lib Scotts
Item mair to ye twa officers for yr fie ilk day sex shilline
aught pennes, is
x lib Scotts
Summa is iiij scoir xii lib xiiij sh
GHILBERT LAUDER.
UM. LAUDER BILZAURS.
Takin of this above written soume twentie-seaven pundis Scotis
qlk the said umql Margrit Dinham had of her ain.
92: 14: --
27: --: --
----------
65: 14: --
MINUTES
AND
PROCEEDINGS OF THE SESSION
OF
TORRYBURN, IN FIFESHIRE,
CONCERNING
_WITCHCRAFT_.
WITH THE
CONFESSION
OF
LILLIAS ADIE.
TAKEN FROM THE SESSION RECORDS
MINUTES, &c.
_Torry, June 30th, 1704._
SEDERUNT, WM. HUTTON, WM. DALGLISH, WM. REID, JOHN MITCHELL,
DAVID CURRY, GEO. TILLOCH, WITH THE MINISTER.
The session being called, _pro re nata_, upon a flagrant rumour, that
Jean Bizet, wife to James Tanochie, had been molested by Satan, and
had complained of some particular person of the devil's instruments
in that trouble that she lay under. Whereupon the minister ordered
the officer to cite the said Jean Bizet, also Lilias Adie and Janet
Whyte, whom she was said to complain of; and also to cite Mary
Wilson, who is said to have taken the charm by stroking up her head;
and also, he ordered the officer to cite Tanochie's daughter, with
James Tanochie, James Whyte and his wife, Helen Anderson, and Mary
Nielson, who are said to know something of the circumstances of that
affair.
_1mo_, Jean Bizet being called, compeared not, upon which the
officer is ordered to cite her to the next.
_2do_, There being a public report that Janet Whyte should have
threatened James Tanochie's family with a mischief, but
particularly his wife, before this befell; the said Janet was
called, and interrogate, if ever she threatened James Tanochie's
wife, she declares, that she never threatened any such thing, nor
thought so. Moreover, she said, that James his wife would not say
so, otherwise she would lay down her head upon a scaffold. She
said, that she was not at her since she took that distemper, and
saw her not since, but saw her on the Monday before, and her
husband's daughter, and Jean Archibald in Culross; but upon the
morrow the woman was troubled. James White being called,
declared, that Jean Bizet was in a distemper upon Tuesday the
13th day of June, in Helen Anderson's house, betwixt 9 and 10 at
night, and seemed drunk.
_3tio_, That she drank not a gill in that house, but before she
came to Helen's house, she was about half an hour in Mary
Wilson's.
_4to_, She seemed to be strangely distempered, and he heard her
say, Agnes, beware lest Lilias Adie come upon you and your child.
_2d_, She said to Mary Nielson, Lilias Adie thinks to use me as
she used your sister.
_3tio_, She complained upon Mary Wilson, but none saw the said
Mary; as she went home, she cryed, _now, now, Jenny, I'll be
felled now, there three blew doublets_, frequently, and wringing
her hands. _Note_--She got a considerable sleep in Helen
Anderson's.
_5to_, As she went home, he had let her go, and she not only
went freely, but did run violently, without stumbling in the
least, the breadth of Torry Park, and he had difficulty to
overtake her, notwithstanding there was both a dyke and furrows
in the way.
_6to_, He declared, that he heard that the next day she was no
better.
_7no_, He declared, that on the Monday before, Janet Whyte said
to him, before James Alexander in Drumfin, that she would make
Jean Bizet forethink what she had done to her in not paying her
two barrels of ale which she sold her, on this purpose she could
not get the maltman payed.
_3tio_, Helen Anderson being called, declared, that Jean Bizet
was in her house, out of Mary Wilson's, about 5 or 6 at night the
foresaid day, and she seemed to be strangely distempered. _2dly_,
Her eyes raised, and could drink none. _3tio_, Ater she had
sleeped from 6 to near 9, and when she awaked, she cryed, _by God
he is going to take me! by Christ he is going to take me! O Lilly
with her blew doublet! O Mary, Mary Wilson!_ repeating _Christ
keep me!_ Upon which Helen said to her husband, did you ever see
her in this condition? He answered, never in my life, but she is
too much taken up with that company, but let me to her, I shall
ding the devil out of her. For this she appeals to James Tanochie
and his son, She and James Whyte declares both, that they are
clear to depone the same.
Agnes Henderson, wife to James Whyte, called, compeared, declared,
that she was sent for to James Tanochie's wife the day foresaid, who
was in a great trouble, and never saw her in the like. _2d_, That she
sleept a while, and when she awoke, she cryed, _O God! O Christ!
there is Lily coming to take me, and three blew doublets! O Mary
Wilson keep me, she is coming!_ She adds, that Jean was in Mary
Wilson's before she came to Helen Anderson's, and she said, that she
desired her to go home, for Lilly will take you and the child both.
She heard her say to Mary Wilson, it was not to you that she did
evil, but to your sister, what aileth her at me, I never did her any
ill. And as she went home, she seemed raised, but went and spak very
well, and she went with her, she heard her speak often of Lilly by
the way, that she was coming to take her. And she adds, that as she
came first into the Newmiln, that she looked and spoke as heartsomely
as ever she saw her, and seemed no way disordered; and having carried
one of James Whyte's children from the Newmiln to James's house. And,
on the next day, being Wednesday, she went to see how she was, and
found her complaining of a sore head, and in a sweat, and she seemed
not right; and she says, she is clear to depone what she has
declared.
Mary Nielson being called in, said, that when Jean Bizet came to her
mistress Helen Anderson her house, she was not within, but she was
within when she awoke out of her sleep. _2d_, She heard her say, _O
God! O Christ Jesus keep me!_ _3tio_, She heard her say, _O keep me!
keep me! there she is coming, Lilly Adie with her blew doublet!_
_4to_, _O Mary Wilson! O Mary Wilson!_ _5to_, She said, as she went
away out of the house, she did no ill to you, but to your sister. She
is clear to depone all this.
Jean Bizet being called in, declares, that on the foresaid Tuesday,
she came to the Newmiln in the forenoon, carrying James Whyte's son
on her back from the Craigmiln, and James Whyte was with her. _2d_,
She came first to Helen Anderson her house, and her husband being
upon business, she went to Helen Tilloch her house. _3tio_, She went
to Mary Wilson's house, where Lott Nicol, with Isobel Harlay, were
drinking in the room next to the door, and she went by them to the
room, where Mary Wilson filled a pint of ale and desired her to drink
of it. She took a drink, but did not drink beyond a gill of it; and
Helen Tilloch, and Jean Tilloch, came in and drank the rest, with
many others. _4to_, She could scarcely have been a quarter of an hour
there, and that she returned to Helen Anderson her house immediately.
Mary Wilson called, said, when Jean Bizet came to her house, she
called for a choppin of ale, and stayed until that was drunk, and
another was filled, and a part of that was drunk. _2d_, There was
none but Helen Tilloch and Jean Bizet, and herself, at the drinking
of that ale. _3tio_, Euphan Nicol came in, and she took a drink of
it. _4to_, She declares, that Jean Tilloch was not within the door
then. _5to_, Robert Nicol and Catharine Mitchell, and Margaret
Nicol, sister to Robert Nicol, were drinking at the fire-side. _6to_,
She declares, that she seemeed no ways disordered with drink, nor any
other way. _7no_, She went up to her on Thursday afternoon, and she
found her lying on her bed, and straked her head, and whether she was
immediately the better of it, or not, she knew not; but she left her
sitting at the fire-side with her child on her knee.
Jean Bizet says, Jean Tilloch was really there. _2d_, She says it was
Friday afternoon before she settled.
_Torryburn, 29th July, 1704.--After Prayer, Sederunt, Minister and
Elders._
Lillias Adie being accused of witchcraft by Jean Neilson, who is
dreadfully tormented, the said Lillias was incarcerate by Bailie
Williamson about ten of the night upon the 28th of July.
Lillias being exhorted to declare the truth, and nothing but truth,
she replied, what I am to say shall be as true as the sun is in the
firmament.
Being interrogate if she was in compact with the devil, she replied,
I am in compact with the devil, and have been so since before the
second burning of the witches in this place. She further declared,
that the first time she met with the devil was at the Gollet, between
Torryburn and Newmilne, in the harvest, before the sun set, where he
trysted to meet her the day after, which tryst she kept, and the
devil took her to a stook side, and caused her renounce her baptism;
the ceremony he used was, he put one hand on the crown of her head,
and the other on the soles of her feet, with her own consent, and
caused her say all was the devil's betwixt the crown of her head and
the soles of her feet; and there the devil lay with her carnally; and
that his skin was cold, and his colour black and pale, he had a hat
on his head, and his feet was cloven like the feet of a stirk, as she
observed when he went from her.
The next time she saw him was at a meeting at the Barnrods, to which
she was summoned by Grissel Anderson in Newmilne, about Martinmas,
their number was about twenty or thirty, whereof none are now living
but herself. She adds, it was a moon-light night, and they danced
some time before the devil came on a ponny, with a hat on his head,
and they clapt their hands and cryed, _there our Prince, there our
Prince_, with whom they danced about an hour.
The next time was at a meeting at the back of Patrick Sands his
house, in Valleyfield, where the devil came with a cap which covered
his ears and neck;--they had no moonlight. Being interrogate if they
had any light, she replied, she got light from darkness, and could
not tell what that light was, but she heard them say it came from
darkness, and went to darkness, and said, it is not so bright as a
candle, the low thereof being blue, yet it gave such a light as they
could discern others faces. There they abode about an hour, and
danced as formerly; she knew none at the meeting but Elspeth
Williamson, whom she saw at the close of the meeting coming down by
the dyke-side; and she said, she was also at another meeting in the
Haugh of Torry, where they were furnished with the former light, and
she saw Elspeth Williamson there also.
_July 31st, 1704._--_After Prayer, Sederunt, Minister and Elders._
Lillias Adie adhered to her former confession, and added, there were
many meetings she was not witness to, and was at many of which she
could give no particular account; and you will get more news after
this. Being interrogate if she knew any more witches in the place,
she replied, Agnes Currie is a witch, but she is a bold woman, and
will flee upon me if I should delate her.
Being interrogate if the devil had a sword, she replied, she believed
he durst not use a sword; and called him a villain that promised her
many good things when she engaged with him, but never gave her any
thing but misery and poverty.
The last meeting ever she was at, was 14 days after the Sacrament, in
the month of August 1701, upon the minister's glebe where the tent
stood, their number was 16 or 18, whereof Agnes Currie was one. She
added, that she made an apology to the meeting, because she could
not wait upon them all the time, being obliged to go to
Borrowstouness that morning's tide. She added, that she heard Jean
Neilson was possessed with a devil, and troubled with a fit of
distemper, but declared she never wronged her, though the devil may
do it in her likeness.
Elspeth Williamson being called, came into the prison where the
session sate, and being interrogate if Lillias Adie had any envy at
her, she answered, she knew no envy she had at her. Lillias being
interrogate if Elspeth Williamson was guilty of witchcraft, she
replied, she is as guilty as I am, and my guilt is as sure as God is
in heaven.
The next time she saw the devil was about half a year ago, as she
went to Culross, she saw him at the west end of the coal-fold.
Upon the affair of Janet Whyte, James Alexander being called,
compeared, and declared that he never heard Janet Whyte threaten Jean
Bizet in the least.
James White called, declared _ut ante_, but adds, that upon Friday
was eight days, the 21st of July, he heard a great screeching when he
was in the Craigmilne upon the bleaching green, beneath the said
milne, and heard a second screech much greater, and clapping of hands
and laughing, about twelve of the night, in the green on the other
side of the burn; and it was observed by the bleachers to be all
pastered, though there was no cloth at the burn, nor bleachers that
night. Also, on the second of August 1704, Lillias declared before
witnesses, that Grissel Anderson invited her to her house on that
Lammas day, the morning just before the last burning of the witches.
Grissel desired her to come and speak with a man there; accordingly
she went in there about day-break, where there was a number of
witches, some laughing, some standing, others sitting, but she came
immediately away, being to go to Lammas fair; and several of them
were taken shortly after, and Grissel Anderson among the rest, who
was burnt, and some of them taken that very week. She adds, that
Euphan Stirt warned her to the meeting at the Barnrod; and the said
Euphan was burnt afterward, though she had been no longer a witch
than a month before her death. She added, that she knew few of them
that were at those meetings, especially the young sort, because they
were masked like gentlewomen; and if Agnes Currie's heart would fall,
she could tell as much as any, being in the midst of the meeting,
where she saw her face by the blue low near Patrick Sands.
_At Torryburn, August 19th, 1704.--After Prayer, Sederunt, &c.
Minister and Elders._
Elspeth Williamson declared, that shortly after the last communion,
there came a woman to her door, and bade her go east the way, whom
she followed the length of the church-yard, and leaned upon the dyke,
and saw a bouroch of women, some with black heads, were sitting
where the tent stood. The woman that called her, went straight to the
meeting, and fell down upon her knees, whereat she wondered, and
hearkened if there was any reading or singing of psalms among them,
and when she heard none, she thought she was in the wrong place, and
did not think the woman would have taken her to the devil's meeting.
She thought the woman was Mary Wilson, but is not certain; and about
ten at night, some time after, a young lass came to her door, and
desired her to go westward a little, whom she followed, but knew not
the lass, she went so fast west the town before her, and was got the
length of the Gollet or she came to the west end of the town; and
when she was come west near the Gollet, she saw a meeting of women
and some men, and she stood at a little distance from them, and saw
them go through other for the space of near an hour, and removed
insensibly eastward from her, upon which she stole away.
Lillias Adie confessed, that after she entered into compact with
Satan, he appeared to her some hundred of times, and that the devil
himself summoned her to that meeting which was on the glebe, he
coming into her house like a shadow, and went away like a shadow; and
added, that she saw Elspeth Williamson and Agnes Currie both there,
only Agnes was nearer the meeting than Elspeth, who was leaning on
the church-yard dike with her elbow. She added, that the devil bade
her attend many meetings that she could not attend, for age and
sickness; and though he appeared not to her when there was company
with her, yet he appeared to her like a shadow, so that none could
see him but herself. At another time, she said, that when she
renounced her baptism, the devil first spoke the words, and she
repeated them after him, and that as he went away she did not hear
his feet on the stubble.
_August 20th 1704.--After Prayer, Sederunt, Minister and Elders._